Constant actuating force arrangement for a relay and a relay-adder combination

ABSTRACT

A relay and a relay-adder combination incorporating a constant force actuating arrangement allowing for the use of the same coil in both configurations whereby a reaction force which is encountered in the actuation of the relay per se is bypassed in the actuation of the relay-adder combination and is replaced by the force which is encountered in the actuation of the adder and which is equal to the reaction force.

United States Patent 51 3,639,866

Kane Feb. 1, 1972 [54] CONSTANT ACTUATING FORCE l l References Cit d'ifili'llfifi' cifnhillfi AND A R 0 3,290,628 12/1966 McGary ..335/l32[72] Inventor: Hugh Kane, Freeport, lll. 3,548,349 2/1969 Fujita..335/l32 [73] Assignee: Honeywell Inc., Minneapolis, Minn. primaryExamine, Haro|d Broome [22] Filed: Oct. 12, 1970 AttorneyLamont B.Koontz and Philip]. Zrimsek [2]] Appl. No.: 79,904 [5 ABSTRACT A relayand a relay-adder combination incorporating a constant force actuatingarrangement allowing for the use of the [52] U.S.Cl ..335/132 Same coilin both configurations whereby a reaction force [Sl] hit. Cl. ..H01h67/02 which is encountered in h actuation of the relay per Se is [58}Field of Search /1 196, 197 bypassed in the actuation of the relay-addercombination and is replaced by the force which is encountered in theactuation of the adder and which is equal to the reaction force.

S Qlaims, 3 Drawing Figures mimznrm 11972 3639666 SHEEI 1. [1F 2 l N VENTOR. HUGH KANE PATENTED rsa 11972 3,639,866

SHEEI 2 0F 2 I N VEN TOR. HUGH KANE CONSTANT ACTUATING FORCE ARRANGEMENTFOR A RELAY AND A RELAY-ADDER COMBINATION The present invention isdirected to a constant actuating force arrangement for a relay and arelay-adder combination wherein a common coil can be utilized, as theactuating forces required in both configurations are substantiallyidentical due to a reaction force that is encountered in the actuationof the relay per se being bypassed and replaced in the relay-addercombination by a substantially equal force encountered in the actuationof the adder.

In the relay art it has been recognized to be desirable that themagnetic system of a relay per se always sees the same load which mustbe overcome in causing the actuating movement of the poles of the relayregardless of the condition and combination ofthe various poles, thatis, normally open or normally closed. Where such a constant actuatingforce arrangement is incorporated in a relay, it follows the samemagnetic system can be utilized with the various conditions andcombinations of the poles and in practice this has meant the same coilcan be utilized. An example of such a constant actuating forcearrangement is contained in the Rosing et al. U.S. Pat. No. 2,672,536.

While the same coil can be utilized in a relay of the type justconsidered without regard to the condition and combination of the polesof the relay, it has not been possible heretofore to use the same coilin a relay and in a relay-adder combination. Thus, in the conventionalapproach, the magnetic system sees" a first load when only driving therelay which must be overcome in causing the actuating movement of thepoles of the relay and a second load" when driving the relay-addercombination which must be overcome in causing the actuating movement ofthe poles of the relay and the poles of the adder. Consequently and as apractical matter, in the conventional approach, different coils arerequired for the relay and the relay-adder combination.

With my invention as disclosed herein, it is possible to encounter thesame loads and hence it is possible to utilize the same coil with arelay and a relay-adder combination. In the preferred embodiment, thisis accomplished by introducing a reaction force in the relay which mustbe overcome in the actuation of the relay which force is bypassed in therelay-adder combination and replaced by a substantially equal forceencountered in the actuation of the adder. More specifically, the relayincludes bias means comprised ofa normally interengaging protrusion andresilient member, one each associated with a stationary and a movingportion of the relay. Upon actuation of the relay, the protrusion andthe resilient member engage thereby giving rise to a reaction forcewhich of course adds to the normal load" as seen by the magnetic systemof the relay. The bias means are so arranged as to be bypassed in therelay-adder combination whereby the protrusion and the resilient memberdo not engage and of course the reaction force does not arise. However,in the relay-adder combination, the reaction force is replaced by theforce required to actuate the adder which latter force is by designsubstantially equal to the reaction force. Consequently, the magneticsystem sees" the same load with the relay as it does with therelay-adder combination. It follows that the same coil can be used witheach.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a constantactuating force arrangement for a relay and a relayadder combinationwhich allows for the utilization of the same coil in each whereby areaction force encountered in the actuation of the relay is bypassed inthe actuation of the relayadder combination and replaced by asubstantially equal force encountered in the actuation of the adder.

This and other objects will become apparent from a reading of thefollowing specification and appended claims taken in conjunction withthe drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an assembled relay-adder combination inwhich the invention hereoffinds application;

FIG. 2 is a perspective explosion view on a somewhat larger scale of thedisassembled relay and adder of FlG. 1 showing the elements oftheinvention; and

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view on a somewhat larger scale of therelay-adder combination of FIG. 1 along lines 3-3 thereof in which thedetails of the invention are shown.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, a multipole relay l0 and a multipoleadder 12 are shown.

The relay 10 includes a support or base 14, having a cavity 144 in whicha magnetic E-frame 16 is appropriately secured and about the center legof which a tubular coil 18 is disposed. Straddling and pivotallyassociated with the lower portions of the base 14 are a pair ofbifurcated split housings 20 and 22, the upper portions 20a and 22a,respectively, of which overlay the cavity 14a of the base 14. Thehousings 20 and 22 support a plurality of terminal members 24 each ofwhich include a fixed contact portion 24a and further support coilterminals 26. Interior spring extensions 26a of the coil terminals 26are arranged to appropriately electrically engage butt terminals, notshown, located on the top surface of the coil 18 and also serve tomaintain the coil in proper position in the cavity 14a of the base 14.

Disposed between the housings 20 and 22 and arranged for association andrelative inward and outward reciprocal movemerit therewith and with thebase 14 in an assembly comprised of an armature 28, a bias plate 30 anda bifurcated moving contact carrier 32. A plurality of spring biased,U-shaped moving contact bridging bars 34 are supported by the movingcontact carrier 32 and the extremities are arranged for association witha respective pair of fixed contact portions 24a to provide the switchingfunction. The armature28 and the moving contact carrier 32 are suitablyjoined together by means of a keyed connection and an associated flatspring member 36 with the bias plate 30 resiliently disposedtherebetween for limited relative reciprocal movement therewith as willbecome apparent below.

The bridging bars 34 each can be selectively positioned so as to providenormally open or normally closed contact orientation with the respectivepair of fixed contact portions 24a as desired. The manner of positioningthe bridging bars 34 can be akin to that disclosed in my copendingapplication, Ser. No. 61,190, filed Aug. 5, 1970 and assigned to thepresent assignee, although any one of a number of forms of positioningto provide the desired pole orientation such as are well known in theart can be utilized. Further, it will be appreciated that each of thebridging bars 34 is arranged to require a constant actuating forcewhether in the normally open or normally closed position. Constructionsutilized to provide such a constant actuating force are well known inthe art, one form being contained in the aforementioned Rosing et al.Patent.

In the assembled condition, the bias plate 30 is seated on posts 14b and14c of the base 14 and overlaid by the portions 20a and 22a of thehousings 20 and 22, respectively, so as to be maintained as a prisonertherebetween. Further in the assembled condition, the leg portions 32aof the moving contact carrier 32 are guided in slots 14d of the base 14and between opposite guide surfaces 20b and 22b of the housings 20 and22, respectively, so as to allow for reciprocal movements of theassembly of the carrier and the associated armature 28 toward and awayfrom the magnetic frame 16 upon energization and deenergization of thecoil 18.

The adder 12 includes a support or base 38 on which a pair of splithousings 40 and 42 are guided and slidably disposed. The housings 40 and42 support a plurality of terminal members 44 each of which include afixed contact portion 44a. Disposed between the housings 40 and 42 andarranged for association and relative inward and outward reciprocalmovement therewith and with the base 38 is a moving contact carrier 46.A plurality of spring biased, U-shaped bridging bats 48 are supported bythe moving contact carrier 46 and the extremities are arranged forassociation with a respective pair of fixed contact portions 44a toprovide the switching function.

As was the case with the bridging bars 34 of-the relay l0. bridging bars48 can be selectively positioned to provide nor mally open or normallyClosed contact orientation as desired and each of the bridging bars 48is arranged to require a constant actuating force whether in thenormally open or normally closed position.

In the assembled condition the moving contact carrier 46 is guidedbetween opposite guide surfaces 40a and 42a of the housings 40 and 42,respectively, so as to allow for reciprocal movements ofthe carrier.

The adder 12 is arranged to be secured to the relay 10 with the relay inthe assembled condition shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 and the adder in thecondition shown in FIG. 2. Thus screw fasteners 50 which are located inopenings 38a of the base 38 pass through in line openings 20c and 22c ofthe housings 20 and 22, respectively, and are appropriately maintainedin place as will become apparent below. Also, the moving contact carrier46 of the adder 12 is secured to the moving con tact carrier 32 of therelay 10 at the same time as the screw fasteners 50 are secured as aboveset forth by means of spring clip 54 associated with the moving contactcarrier 46 snapping over the stepped protrusion 32b of the movingcontact carrier 32.

With the relay l and adder 12 secured together as just set forth andwith the housings 40 and 42 of the adder, assembled so as to provideguidance for the moving contact carrier 46, inward reciprocal movementof the armature 28 and the moving contact carrier 32 of the relay withthe consequent inward reciprocal movement of the moving contact carrier46 of the adder 14 from the at rest position" shown in FIGS. 1 and 3takes place upon energization of coil 18. Such movement results inrelative movement of the moving contact carrier 32 with the bias plate30 and the generation of a return force caused by spring means, notshown, disposed between the moving contact carrier 32 and the bias platebeing compressed. Consequently, outward reciprocal movement upondeenergization of coil 18 is provided by the return force. Suchreciprocal movements of course cause a change in the condition of thepoles formed of the respective sets of fixed contact portions 24a andbridging bars 34 of the relay l0 and fixed contact portions 444 andbridging bars 48 of the adder 12.

The foregoing general description is merely to set a framework for theinvention and as such forms no real part of it. The inventive concept isset forth below with attention particularly directed to FIGS. 2 and 3.

Disposed on either side of the moving contact carrier 32 of the relay 10are protrusions 320 which are arranged to be slidably accepted incavities in the housings and 22, one of which is shown at 20d, when inthe assembled condition. y

Cavity 20d and the corresponding cavity in the housing 22 each have aU-shaped bracket 56 appropriately secured in the upper extremitythereof. Brackets 56 each include a threaded opening 56a in the upperarm thereofin line with openings 20c and 220 in the housings 20 and 22,respectively. The brackets 56 also each include a through opening 56b inthe lower arm thereof in line with the aforementioned openings. Furtherlocated in each of the cavity 20d and the corresponding cavity in thehousing 22 is a shouldered pin 58, the lower extremity being slidablydisposed in cutouts of the housings 20 and 22 as at 20c. Coil spring 60is disposed about the shouldered pin 58 and bias lever 62 is alsodisposed about the shouldered pin against the shoulder thereof so as toprovide a resilient member.

As shown in FIG. 3, the adder is secured to the relay by means of thescrew fasteners 50 which extend through the openings 20c and 220 andinto threaded openings 56a so as to engage the upper extremities ofshouldered pins 58 causing an inward positioning thereof with aconsequent compression of coil springs 60 and an inward positioning ofthe levers 62, This results in the levers 62 being spaced from theprotrusions 32c of the moving contact carrier 32 to such an extent thatengagement therebetween can not take place even upon complete inwardreciprocal movement of the moving contact carrier 32 brought about as aresult of the energization of coil 18. In this condition, the screwfasteners 50 have in effect bypassed the bias means comprised of theprotrusions 32c of the moving contact carrier 32 and the resilientmember in the form of bias levers 62. Thus, the load which is seen inthe actuation of the relay-adder combination is a summation of thecontact actuating forces encountered in the changing of the contactorientation of the bridging bars 34 and the bridging bars 48 withrespect to the fixed contact portions 24a and 440, respectively, plusthe return force provided by the compression of the spring. means, notshown, which is disposed between the moving contact carrier 32 and thebias plate 30.

Still referring to FIG. 3, assume now that adder 12 is no longerassociated with the relay 10. In this condition, each of the shoulderedpins 58 is normally maintained in its outward position by coil spring 60with the shouldered pins engaging bottom surfaces 560 of bracket 56.With the shouldered pins 58 so located, the levers 62 are positioned sothat during actuation of the relay l0 engagement between the levers andprotrusions 32b of the moving contact carrier 32 takes place. Thus uponenergization of coil 18 and inward reciprocal movement of the movingcontact carrier 32, the protrusions 32b move the levers 62 inwardlyagainst the bias provided by coil springs 60 to provide a reactionforce. The coil springs 60 are so chosen that the reaction force theyprovide is substantially equal to that of the contact actuating forceencountered in thechanging of the contact orientation of the bridgingbars 48 of the adder 12. Thus in the actuation of the relay per se, theload which is seen is a summation of the contact actuating forceencountered in the changing of the contact orientation of the bridgingbars 34 with respect to the fixed contact portions 24a plus the returnforce provided by the compression of the spring means, not shown,disposed between the moving contact carrier 32 and the bias plate 30 toprovide a return force plus the reaction force provided by thecompression ofcoil springs 60.

It will be appreciated that because of the invention as just described,the load" as seen by the magnetic system of the relay is the same in theactuation of the relay-adder combination as in the actuation of therelay per se. it follows that a common coil can be utilized in bothconfigurations.

While a single preferred embodiment has been disclosed, other forms ofthe elements such as the bias means to provide the reaction force andthe means to bypass such reaction force are possible. Therefore, thescope of my invention should be determined from the following claims.

Iclaim:

l. A constant actuating force arrangement for a relay and a relay-addercombination comprising: a relay housing including fixed contacts; amagnetic frame and a coil supported by said housing; a moving contactcarrier-armature assembly arranged to be guided for actuating anddeactuating movement by said housing under the influence of said frameand said coil so as to change the condition of the relay switch polesformed by the corresponding fixed and moving contacts; bias meansassociated with said housing and said assembly whereby actuatingmovement of said assembly normally results in a reaction force beingprovided by said bias means which opposes the actuating movement; anadder housing including fixed contacts for association with said relayhousing; a moving contact carrier arranged to be guided for actuatingand deactuating movement by said adder housing and arranged to beassociated with said assembly so as to be moved therewith to change thecondition of the adder switch poles formed by the corresponding fixedand moving contacts; and bypass means for utilization when the adder isassociated with the relay and positionable with respect to said biasmeans so that the reaction force does not arise, the reaction forceprovided by said bias means being chosen to equal the additionalactuating force necessary to provide the actuating movement foi saidmoving contact carrier of the adder.

2. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein said bias means comprises aprotrusion associated with one of said relay housing and said assemblyand a resilient member associated with the other whereby said protrusionnormally engages said resilient member upon actuating movement toprovide the reaction force.

lever.

5. The arrangement of claim 4 wherein the bypass means comprises screwfasteners provided in said adder housing which fasteners are arranged tosecure said relay housing and said adder housing together and arefurther arranged to engage and position said spring loaded lever so asto preclude the normal engagement with said protrusion from takingplace.

1. A constant actuating force arrangement for a relay and a relay-addercombination comprising: a relay housing including fixed contacts; amagnetic frame and a coil supported by said housing; a moving contactcarrier-armature assembly arranged to be guided for actuating anddeactuating movement by said housing under the influence of said frameand said coil so as to change the condition of the relay switch polesformed by the corresponding fixed and moving contacts; bias meansassociated with said housing and said assembly whereby actuatingmovement of said assembly normally results in a reaction force beingprovided by said bias means which opposes the actuating movement; anadder housing including fixed contacts for association with said relayhousing; a moving contact carrier arranged to be guided for actuatingand deactuating movement by said adder housing and arranged to beassociated with said assembly so as to be moved therewith to change thecondition of the adder switch poles formed by the corresponding fixedand moving contacts; and bypass means for utilization when the adder isassociated with the relay and positionable with respect to said biasmeans so that the reaction force does not arise, the reaction forceprovided by said bias means being chosen to equal the additionalactuating force necessary to provide the actuating movement for saidmoving contact carrier of the adder.
 2. The arrangement of claim 1wherein said bias means comprises a protrusion associated with one ofsaid relay housing and said assembly and a resilient member associatedwith the other whereby said protrusion normally engages said resilientmember upon actuating movement to provide the reaction force.
 3. Thearrangement of claim 2 wherein said bypass means is associated with saidadder housing such that with the adder associated with the relay saidbypass means positions one of said protrusion and said resilient memberso as to preclude the normal engagement therebetween from taking place.4. The arrangement of claim 3 wherein said protrusion is associated withsaid assembly and said resilient member is associated with said relayhousing and comprises a spring-loaded lever.
 5. The arrangement of claim4 wherein the bypass means comprises screw fasteners provided in saidadder housing which fasteners are arranged to secure said relay housingand said adder housing together and are further arranged to engage andposition said spring loaded lever so as to preclude the normalengagement with said protrusion from taking place.